2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

In the first-year engineering experience course, introducing the students to the rich history of engineering, its groundbreaking achievements, and the pressing challenge of today is a fantastic way to foster these future engineers’ enthusiasm and a sense of purpose in their future career choice.
However, the rich history of mathematics, scientists and engineers who made all those significant contributions which greatly improved human beings’ lives are often overlooked. The lessons learned from the past can inform solutions to contemporary engineering problems. The engineering principles developed by ancient civilizations are still relevant in modern infrastructure projects. The stories of the pioneers can serve as the role models and inspire the next generation of engineers. The journey of these pioneers, including their discovery, inventions, and their contributions to engineering will offer valuable impact for engineering students.
Explore how historical figures and their contributions intersect with other fields, such as physics, mathematics, or chemistry serves as an effective way to nurture students’ appreciation of This can help the interdisciplinary nature of engineering in the broader context of their course studies.
Research indicates that students require reinforcement of materials multiple times to master them. Therefore, the objective is to introduce this historical content early in their engineering education. It can then be reinforced in subsequent engineering courses in their junior and senior years. This effort will tie together the engineering principles and the stories of the pioneers, and further deepen students’ understanding of the materials.
In this paper, we present an approach that allows the students to explore the journey and contributions of scientists, mathematicians, and engineers who made significant contributions to engineering fields. Case studies will be introduced as activities or assignments. Students’ reflections on these stories will also be shared. With these efforts, we hope that students will develop a lasting appreciation for the historical context of engineering practice, which will further inspire them to contribute to the society at large through their own engineering career.